ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: October 10, 1997

CC File: 2202

TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM: Director of Finance, in consultation with

Assistant Director, License & Property Use

SUBJECT: 1997 ‘OTHER’ Grant Requests

RECOMMENDATION

A.THAT a grant of $47,014 be approved to the Vancouver City Planning Commission; source of funds to be the 1997 ‘Other’ Grants budget.

B.THAT a grant of $6,000 be approved to Cycling British Columbia; source of funds to be the 1997 ‘Other’ Grants budget and THAT the Licence Branch explore with the organization ways to fund this program on a self-sustaining basis.

C.THAT a grant of $100,000 be approved to the Vancouver Symphony Society to offset the rent payable under the lease with Civic Theatres for the period of January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997; source of funds to be the 1997 Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent budget.

CONSIDERATION

D.THAT grant of $26,800 (1996 funding level) be approved to the SPCA -Vancouver Regional Branch; source of funds to be 1997 ‘OTHER’ Grants budget.

E.THAT grant of $3,500 (1996 funding level) be approved to the Chinese Benevolent Association of BC; source of funds to be 1997 ‘OTHER’ Grants budget.

F.THAT grant of $2,800 be approved to the Vancouver Block Parent Program; source of funds to be 1997 ‘OTHER’ Grants budget.

G.THAT grant of $4,000 be approved to the Sanctuary Foundation; source of funds to be 1997 ‘OTHER’ Grants budget.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Corporate Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, and C, and submits the items in D, E, F, and G for CONSIDERATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

Applications for grants under the ‘Other’ Grants category are to be submitted to the City before March 31 of the current budget year, and the requests are generally submitted to Council in a single report.

Current policy regarding funding to outside organizations for policing and engineering costs is that the City waives the first $500 of policing costs and organizers pay all other costs associated with their event. In recent years, Council has approved requests from outside groups for grants to offset the additional costs over the $500 floor. In 1996, two organizations received a total of $5,000 to cover their costs.

On October 24, 1989, as part of the rescue package for the Vancouver Symphony Society, Council approved the lease of office space in the Orpheum basement to the Society at a rent of $100,000 per year, to be offset by a grant of $100,000.

Approval of grants require eight affirmative votes of Council.

PURPOSE

This report presents seven requests for funding under the ‘Other’ Grants category and one request under the Cultural Grant-Theatre Rent category.

BACKGROUND

Council established the ‘Other’ Grants budget to provide funding for grant requests which do not meet the criteria for Community Services, Cultural, Day-care or Environmental grants.

The 1997 ceiling for "Other" Grants was set by Council at $530,000. To date, $358,900 of this allocation has be distributed as grants or reserved for on-going grant programs such as the Community Crime Prevention Offices, Sister Cities Committees and Arts Stabilization Fund. The current unallocated balance is $171,100.

"OTHER" GRANT REQUESTS -

ANNUAL RECURRING AND MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORIES

In presenting these requests for grants in the "Other" category, the Director of Finance notes that several of the applicants have requested increases over their 1996 funding levels in excess of local inflation and in excess of growth in other areas of the City’s grant budget. The general increase in the grants ceilings for 1997 was 1%, however, for the major exhibiting organizations that receive grants from the City, funding levels were reduced in 1997. In order to maintain some equity in the treatment of grant programs, it is recommended that, should Council wish to continue funding for the organizations represented in this report in 1997, approval be limited to not more than the 1996 funding levels.

Vancouver City Planning Commission requested $47,014

1996 funding $47,014

Funding for the Vancouver City Planning Commission is provided by Council by way of an annual grant. The Commission develops a budget which forms the basis of the grant request and any year-end surplus goes to reduce the subsequent year’s request.

The VCPC has submitted an operating grant request (Appendix A) totalling $47,014 after allowance for a 1996 surplus of $162. This request maintains the 1997 gross budget at the 1996 level of $47,176.

Cycling British Columbia requested $7,250

1996 funding $6,000

In order to qualify for a Bicycle Courier Licence, applicants must successfully complete a bicycle courier accreditation program. The City has provided Cycling British Columbia with an annual grant since 1989 to aid in developing and administering this bicycle courier testing program. The grants to Cycling BC have ranged from $2,500 to $6,000 annually, depending on the programs proposed for the year. In 1996, Council approved a grant of $6,000. The following indicates the number of licences issued and licence revenue earned from 1994 to 1997 (to date):

	Licences	Licence Revenue
1994	398	$3,980
1995	487	$5,357
1996	486	$5,346
1997 to date	388	$4,656

The 1997 grant request of $7,250 is to continue funding of same programs that were funded in 1996: $4,000 for the on-going administration costs related to the written and road testing program; and $3,250 to continue the preparatory seminar for the road test. Cycling British Columbia has requested an increase in funding for 1997 due to the increased number of examinations being given. In 1996, the organization indicates it facilitated 550 exams.

The participation of Cycling BC in developing and administering this program to certify bicycle couriers has been a successful partnership with the City. However, according to information provided by Cycling BC, the City’s contribution was more than 1/3 of the cost of delivering to the program in 1996. Moreover, at $12, the licence fee for bicycle couriers does not generate sufficient revenue to cover the current grant. Full cost fees for couriers going through the program are estimated to be about $30 compared to the $10.50 provided by the City in 1996. Staff believe that, because the certification requirement for bicycle courier licencing essentially provides the Cycling BC program with a captive audience, the program should become self-supporting.

The Assistant Director, License & Property Use and the Director of Finance RECOMMEND that Council continue the funding for Cycling BC in 1997 but recommend that the Licence Branch explore with the organization the ways in which the program can continue without ongoing City financial support for a report back as part of the grant process in 1998.

SPCA - Vancouver Regional Branch requested $27,365

1996 funding $26,700

The Vancouver Regional Branch of the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has submitted a 1997 grant request of $27,365 to the City to assist in maintaining the services to the residents of Vancouver. The 1997 request represents a 2.5% increase over the 1996 level of $26,700.

The Director of Finance submits this request for CONSIDERATION but recommends that the 1997 funding level be held at not more than 1996 approved levels.

Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver requested $4,000

1996 funding $3,500

The City has provided financial assistance to the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver for a number of years. The grants, ranging from $1,500 to $3,500, have been used to cover the cost of events sponsored by the Association. In 1996, a grant of $3,500 was approved.

The Association has submitted a 1997 grant request of $4,000 to the City. The grant will be used to offset costs related to the Chinese New Year Parade, the Lion Dance and the Canada Day celebration.

The Director of Finance submits this request for CONSIDERATION but recommends that the 1997 funding level be held at not more than 1996 approved levels.

Vancouver Block Parent Program requested $2,800

1996 funding $2,800

Funding to the Vancouver Block Parent Program had been channelled through the Vancouver Safety Council before the Safety Council ceased its operation in 1992. Since 1993, Council has provided grants to the program which has the support of the Vancouver School Board and the Vancouver Police Department. The 1996 approved grant was for $2,800.

The Director of Finance submits the request for CONSIDERATION.

Motorcycle Toy Run request $1,000

1996 funding $1,500

The Motorcycle Toy Run is an annual parade of motorcycle in support of the Christmas Bureau. The parade begins at Coquitlam Centre Mall and proceeds to the PNE. The City has provided funding to offset the costs of providing auxiliary police to handle traffic for the Vancouver portion of this event since 1990 when Council reaffirmed its policy of not providing funding for traffic control costs beyond the first $500. In 1996, Council provided a grant of up to $1,500 to offset policing cost associated with the annual toy run. Actual costs in 1996 were $815.

The Director of Finance notes that the organization has requested only sufficient funding to cover policing costs above the first $500 provided by Council policy. In 1997, these costs were below $1,000. The Director of Finance therefore submits for CONSIDERATION a request at this level.

Sanctuary Foundation requested $4,950

1996 funding $0

The Sanctuary Foundation has offered bicycle repair training programs to the public for a number of years. From 1993 to 1995, Council provided annual grants of $2,500 to the Foundation to assist in acquiring pre-owned bicycles from the Police Department for use in the training program.

In 1996, Council turned down the Foundation’s request of $5,000 to fund the operating costs of their program. Even without the City funding, the program continued to operate from a portable classroom at Sunset Beach from June to September, 1996. Ten at-risk youth learned skills in bike mechanics and then provided free bike safety inspections and cycling maps for lower mainland cyclists and tourists.

In 1997, the Foundation has requested $4,950 from the City to assist it in building a computer bulletin board map for cyclists, accessible by modem via the Internet. The organization would like to have a dedicated computer and modem at their Sunset Beach facility where cyclists can fill out surveys on-line and get other cycling information. They will once again be doing free mechanical inspections and polling cyclists at Sunset Beach. The foundation has submitted a grant request to the City to fund the computer, related software and the installation of a phone line for the portable classroom at Sunset beach.

The Director of Finance submits this request for CONSIDERATION.

CULTURAL GRANT - THEATRE RENT CATEGORY

On October 24, 1989, Council approved a rescue package to assist the Vancouver Symphony Society to avoid bankruptcy. Part of that package was an agreement to lease the basement of the Orpheum Theatre at an annual rent of $100,000, to be offset by a grant of $100,000 from the City. This arrangement allows the Symphony Society to use the City contribution as leverage in its fund raising efforts. The lease has been renewed annually, subject to the approval of the grant from the City.

The Director of Finance RECOMMENDS that this lease be renewed for the period of January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997 inclusive, and the rent for the period be set at $100,000. It is further recommended that a grant of $100,000 be approved to cover the lease cost; the source of funds to be the 1997 Cultural Grant - Theatre Rent budget.

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(c) 1997 City of Vancouver